


Strong Roots

by wanderingbeauty



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 19:39:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14576196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingbeauty/pseuds/wanderingbeauty
Summary: This story is a hybrid of a few ideas given to me by cobrakaiseriesfan and rynnsama on Tumblr. It's my first Cobra Kai/Karate Kid fic and I have NO CLUE how to write fight scenes so it's pretty clunky, but I hope you give me a free pass and enjoy it for what it is!





	Strong Roots

Johnny settled into a barstool and ordered a beer. He could've been in his office back in the dojo, enjoying an almost nightly routine of solitary whiskey drinking -- and he definitely needed it tonight more than ever, what with the encounter with Kreese leaving him more shaken than he cared to admit -- but there was somewhere else he had to be. 

Robby seemed to be doing fine. Which was good, considering his mother wasn't at the apartment and Johnny had duly noted her absence at the tournament too. 

He'd gone to congratulate the kid, and to make sure he was okay. It was only a dislocated shoulder -- something that he could definitely walk off within a few weeks. 

"Why are you congratulating me?" Robby's tone wasn't angry; he sounded surprisingly smug. "I lost."

"You came in second," Johnny challenged, "with no prior experience. And that move you pulled was pretty badass."

That had earned him a smile. "Mr. Larusso's a pretty good teacher." 

It wasn't an insult -- just a fact. But the mention of Daniel's name made the whole room rush at Johnny at once. He shook it off and offered to spar with Robby for a few minutes, promising he'd give him some tips for when an opponent knows your weak spots. It worked, albeit a bit too well -- the little asshole ended up kicking him in the temple. Johnny was amused when he became aware of a wetness welling up next to his eye. 

"Hey," he'd said before he left, "tell Daniel he's doing a good job with you." And Jesus Christ, he'd meant it. 

So he was at the bar with relatively high spirits. Before he knew it, he'd knocked back three beers. 

"Boy, I can't tell whether you're celebrating or just hangin' out on a Tuesday night." Daniel flashed a smile as he took a seat on the stool beside him. 

"Why are you so cheery? My dojo just kicked your ass. I figured you'd've bought a wrecking ball with your own money and pounded Cobra Kai to dust by now." 

"I saw the look on your face when Robby lost. And I saw your car in the parking lot -- thought I'd come in and tell you that he's taking it pretty well."

"I know. He gave me this." He turned his head and pointed to his wound. 

"Huh." Daniel smirked as Johnny chugged his fourth drink. "Looks like he has his dad's temper." 

"You know what, asshole? I'd give anything to clock you in the face right now." Johnny tried to hide his smirk behind the pint.

"Nah, you're drunk. It wouldn't be a fair fight." 

"I'm not that drunk." His eyes narrowed. "Scared?"

"You know what?" He laughed and stood up, pulling Johnny to his feet. "Fine. But we're listening to Queen in the car." 

He scoffed. "You say that like it's a _bad_ thing." 

***

Daniel steered him into the karate room. "You wait here -- I'm gonna go change."

Johnny looked around. It was spacious, with a huge mat in the middle of the floor and a bunch of different knick-knacks, pictures, and awards scattered throughout. One shelf in particular caught his eye. On it was a picture of Daniel and his daughter, poised and ready to fight in her own white gi. Despite himself, Johnny smiled. 

Next to it was another picture -- Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. His sensei's eyes were hard. Serious. But the smile on his face seemed genuine enough. 

"I believe that was right before our trip to Okinawa." Daniel had materialized beside him. "That was a cool summer." 

"I've never been out of the country." He slapped Daniel on the back. "C'mon, I've been waiting thirty years to kick your ass."

"Alright, let's do it!" They moved to the mat, bowed to each other.

It was hard to describe what happened next. Everything seemed to disappear. All of Johnny's apprehension, the guilt swirling around his head, even his anger toward Daniel -- something that had been propelling him for decades -- none of it seemed to matter anymore. Even the knot in his stomach went away. 

Karate, he realized, was a better mood stabilizer than alcohol. 

He landed a kick to Daniel's chest, sending him staggering backward. "Wow." He almost looked impressed. "Okay, point for you."

"There's more where that came from." He smirked. "Don't forget who won tonight." 

Daniel went to punch him but he blocked it, twisting his arm and sending him to the floor. He chopped Daniel in the back and was satisfied when he let out a pained grunt. "That's another point for me." 

"Alright, alright." Daniel pushed him off and got back on his feet. 

One more point. Just _one more hit._ He went for a combo punch, but was blocked every time. "Damn." 

All of a sudden, Daniel's entire body went rigid. He spun around dramatically and his foot connected with Johnny's face. He collapsed with a loud cry.

"Johnny!" He was laughing a little. "Johnny, are you okay? I'm so sorry."

"Shit, Larusso. What's with you kicking me in the face?" 

"I wasn't aiming for your face. I miscalculated." 

"Sure you did." He grabbed Daniel in a headlock. 

"Agh! I don't think this is a legal move." 

"Yeah? I think it is." He gave him a noogie. "Who's laughing now?"

"Hey!" Daniel elbowed him in the ribs and they both fell into a laughing heap on the mat. "Oh, man." He looked over at Johnny and his smile faded. "You're really bleeding." 

"Yeah?" He touched his temple -- the same place Robby had nailed him earlier -- and smirked when he saw blood on his fingers. "Huh."

"Stay here. I'll be back." He pat Johnny's thigh before rising and disappearing from the room.

Johnny rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. He had no way of telling what time it was, but the alcohol must've been hitting him -- he was suddenly exhausted. 

"Hey, hey! Don't fall asleep!" 

His eyes snapped open; Daniel was standing over him with a bowl of foul-smelling liquid. "Oh, uh, sorry." He sat up and crossed his legs. Daniel followed suit across from him. He took Johnny's chin in his hand, tilting his face upward. "What are you doing?" 

"Checking your pupils -- making sure you don't have a concussion." A few seconds of silence passed as they held each other's gaze. "You should be fine. Here." He took a rag out of the bowl and rung it out. "This might sting a little." He pressed it to Johnny's wound. 

Johnny's nose crinkled. "Did you piss in this?" 

"Hey, I know it smells bad, but Mr. Miyagi swore by this stuff. It really works." He unwrapped a bandage and dressed the cut.

"You were really close with him, huh?"

Daniel smiled. "He was the best. I still think about him every day. Is that weird?" 

"Nah, he seemed like a cool guy."

Daniel took another look at his pupils, his eyes flitting back and forth across Johnny's face. "Okay, I think you're all set."

"Hey, man. I..." He let out a breath. "I have something to tell you." Suddenly, Johnny couldn't meet his gaze. "Daniel, Kreese is back in the Valley."

" _What?_ " 

"I had nothing to do with it, I swear!" But when he looked up, he didn't see anger in Daniel's eyes. He saw concern. Sympathy, even. "He came to the dojo after the tournament. I wanted to hit him. I really wanted to lay the motherfucker out, y'know? But I just stood there, shaking like a pussy."

"Did he say anything to you?" The amount of worry in Daniel's voice made the knot in his stomach come back.

"Some shit about, _'this is just the beginning.'_ As if I'd let that bastard anywhere near me or my students." 

"Hey, whatever he's thinking about doing, we'll be ready." He put a hand on Johnny's knee and squeezed. "I got your back, man. Don't worry."

Daniel's eyes looked almost exactly the same as they did thirty years ago. They were still wide with wonder and optimism, twinged with arrogance that twinkled when the light hit it the right way. And the color -- deep brown with orange flecks that reminded Johnny of a sunset. The only new additions were the lines around them that crinkled when Daniel smiled. 

Johnny kissed him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Daniel pulled away and the bowl clattered to the floor; the liquid fizzed when it made contact. 

Johnny's mouth hung open and he couldn't remember how to close it. He needed to say something. _Anything._ Daniel was staring at him with his sunset eyes and his pursed, angry mouth that tasted like maple syrup. He couldn't think straight, so he blurted out a line he'd used frequently in the past: "I'm drunk." He swallowed. "And I'm about one punch away from getting brain damage. I... I can't be held accountable for--"

"Look," Daniel's eyes darted across his face accusatorily. "I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to the booze. Sleep it off here, and I'll drive you to the bar tomorrow so you can get your car back." He grabbed the bowl and stood. "The guest room is down the hall to the left." 

"Wait, Daniel--" 

He put up a hand, silencing him. "Goodnight, Johnny."


End file.
